Story of a Rock: Creating Compelling Video Storytelling from Static Subjects

What if you're hired to tell the story of a rock--or something equally unexciting and un-visual? Mad Bear Productions' Glenn Zimmerman explains how to make visual storytelling from the most unlikely material, and construct a story that speaks to your intended audience.

So you've got this great story. It's about a motorcycle. Or a band. Or something really visually exciting. That's fantastic. But what if your story is about ... a rock?

So, the first thing we need to figure out: What has this rock been up to? Where did it come from? How did it get here? What can you do with it?

So, now that you have all these possible stories, what you need to do is look at the audience—who's going to see the video—and decide which one of those stories speaks to that audience?

Let's say you're trying to speak to families. The rock takes on a very different feeling in a child's hands. Now this isn't just a story about a rock; it's about a little girl's relationship with the rock--a powerful theme.

How important is setting the proper tone in corporate, commercial, and educational online video storytelling? It's paramount, says Glenn Zimmerman of Manhattan's Mad Bear Productions, in his latest instructional clip as he explains how to match the tone of your work to the message it's designed to deliver.